Prague- Both houses of Czech parliament will take part in meetings to be organised within the Czech EU presidency in the first half of 2009, Senate chairman Premysl Sobotka (senior government Civic Democrats, ODS) told CTK after meeting Alexandr Vondra (ODS), deputy PM in charge of EU affairs, today.
Besides joint meetings of parliamentary committees, meetings of the heads of national parliaments of the 27 EU member countries are being planned, Sobotka said.
The role of national parliaments in the EU is increasing, and the Czech Senate is going to contribute to this, coordinating its steps with the Chamber of Deputies, Sobotka said.
Within the preparations for the forthcoming Czech EU presidency, Sobotka is to meet lower house chairman Miloslav Vlcek (senior opposition Social Democrats, CSSD) on Wednesday.
The main motto of Czech EU presidency will be "Europe Without Barriers." The Czech government's planned priorities include the enhancing of competitiveness, deregulation, the emphasis on the free movement of people
, services, capital and goods, and the promotion of liberal trade policy.Sustainable and safe power industry is also among the priorities.
All the priorities will nevertheless be framed by the "inherited" agenda, including the revision of the EU budget policy and reforms of the joint farming policy.
The Czech opposition CSSD criticises the centre-right government's preparations for Czech EU presidency as well as the decision to replace current Czech ambassador to the EU Jan Kohout soon.
Kohout is to leave the post in Brussels at the end of this year at the latest though his term of office will only expire in May 2008.
Vondra said earlier that the government wants to implement the replacement quickly just because of the EU presidency so that Kohout's successor were able to settle down in Brussels and get fully prepared to the demanding period of the Czech EU presidency.
Looks like Tough time for Ireland !
http://www.ceskenoviny.cz/news/index_view.php?id=269830
Looks like the wind is changing direction !